POST-ELECTION HEALING
Pastor organizes service to foster reconciliation
Each week, this series will introduce you to an exceptional American who unites, rather than divides, our communities. To read more about the American profiled here and more average Americans doing exceptional things, visit onenation.usatoday.com.
Among the casualties of the 2016 election, civility — even among Christians — topped the list.
And that deeply bothered the Rev. Rennie Salata, who acknowledged that he found it difficult at times to embody Christ’s admonition to love your enemies and bless those who persecute you.
“Jesus does this in a way I only aspire to do,” said Salata, the pastor of Acton United Methodist Church in Candler, N.C. “He’s able to love his enemies while at the same time confronting them where they’re supporting injustice or oppression, and I admit I have not figured out how to do that.” But he also refused to give up. As a small step toward reconciliation and healing, Salata, with the help of several other pastors, organized an Election Day Communion service that was open to anyone.
About 40 people attended that evening.
Church member Diana Corbin attended the special service, describing it as “very moving” and sorely needed.
“We need to put our faith in God and believe that he will take care of us, regardless of who is in office,” said Corbin, 66.
A native of Louisiana who grew up outside Knoxville, Tenn., Salata, 32, earned his divinity degree from Duke University and was ordained in 2015.
His approach involves a “subtle determination” to reach his flock, as Salata puts it. The idea is to hash out different perspectives, and then journey to understand what God is inviting them to see.
“Perhaps it might be neither of the positions that’s being offered but a third way, really, that God is calling us into,” said Salata, who came to Acton in July 2015 with his wife, Lauren.
He plans to extend that reach to include the Islamic community by bringing in a speaker from that group later this year. With other pastors, Salata also plans to organize a “pilgrimage of reconciliation,” the idea being “to put ourselves physically in different context than what we’re used to” and get out into parts of the community we’re not familiar with.